Trendspotting: Corn The iconic Southern ingredient has become an obsession of chefs and artisans around the country, not only in familiar recipes like hush puppies, but also in innovations like ice pops. Here, some of F&W's new favorites.

Party at the Drop of a Hat Leigh Magar makes some of the most sensational hats in Charleston, South Carolinaa city where a hat really means something. She outfits cookbook authors Matt Lee and Ted Lee in fedoras for a wonderful outdoor dinner party.

Where to Go Next: Southern Cooking F&W restaurant editor Kate Krader opens her black book to restaurant openings in the South (like the farm-to-table cooking spot Farm Burger in Atlanta) and great Southern-inspired places all around the US.

Chocolate, doughnuts, soy sauce, cider: The South's best new artisans are creating outrageously delicious food in their own small way.

When Restaurants Get Personal Whether its walls are covered in shimmering velvet or reclaimed pine from an old tire factory, a great restaurant can make the hoary concept of Southern hospitality come aliveand inspire writer Julia Reed to hug her waiter.

Mississippi chef John Currence was once infamous for his profligate eating habits. But now he makes low-fat versions of the Southern dishes he craves that are delicious enough to serve guests at a dinner party. Here, he tells how.

Behroush: The Saffron King and his Amazing Journey "Everyone wants fresh and local; what I have is dried and global," says spice importer Behroush Sharifi. F&W's Emily Kaiser follows his trail from Tehran to America and collects phenomenal recipes from the Southern chefs who love him.

Beers & Bourbons History informs many of the new bottlings coming out of the South. F&W's Ray Isle tries a bourbon just launched by a 150-year-old distillery, an old-style beer made with spruce needles and more.